In The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice, philosophers, sociologists, and historians of science offer a multidisciplinary view of the complex interrelationships of values in science and society in both contemporary and historic contexts. They analyze the impact of commercialization and politicization on epistemic aspirations, and, conversely, the ethical dilemmas raised by “practically relevant” science in today's society. For example, much scientific research over the past quarter century has been guided by the financing that supports it. What effect has this had on the quality of research produced and the advancement of real knowledge?

The contributors reveal how social values affect objectivity, theory, and the direction of inquiry, and examine the byproducts of external value systems in topics such as “expertise” and “socially robust knowledge,” among others. They view science's own internal value systems, the earlier disconnection of societal values from the scientific process, and the plausibility of “value free” science.

The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice presents an in-depth analysis that places the role of values at the center of philosophical debate and raises questions of morality, credibility, and the future role of values in scientific inquiry.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Martin Carrier is professor of philosophy at Bielefeld University in Germany. Don Howard is professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame.Janet Kourany is associate professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame.

REVIEWS

“This is an important collection of essays, by some of the best people in the field, on the most important and timely issue of the relations between science and values. These are issues that affect everyone.” --Peter Machamer, University of Pittsburgh

“The early logical empiricists, the founders of modern philosophy of science, thought it impossible to arrive at a rational discourse about norms and values, and aimed at a value-free philosophy of science. In the meantime it has become clear that norms and values pervade the whole scientific enterprise from the beginning to the end. This splendid book that carefully confronts diverging views on this topic is a worthwhile introduction to the role and impact of epistemic and social values in science.” --Gereon Wolters, University of Konstanz

“The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice takes the reader from the inside of philosophy to the outskirts of power. The discussion of epistemic and non-epistemic values prepares the ground. It leads to the question whether scientific knowledge needs to be more than merely correct-whether it ought to be socially robust as well. In the last part epistemic values are put under pressure by demands for economic benefit. Do these demands compromise or inspire the search for better knowledge? If only for the scope of this investigation, The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice is important reading for the philosophy of contemporary science.” --Alfred Nordmann, University of Darmstadt, Germany

TABLE OF CONTENTS

<Carrier, Howard, and Kourany, contents page>
<page v, no folio, page vi, cont. or blank>
Contents
Preface 000
Introduction: Science and the Social 000
Martin Carrier
Part I. The Play of Values within the Core Areas of Scientific Research
1. Must Evidence Underdetermine Theory? 000
John D. Norton
2. Values and Their Intersection: Reduction as Methodology and Ideology 000
Margaret Morrison
3. Values, Heuristics, and the Politics of Knowledge 000
Helen E. Longino
4. Replacing the Ideal of Value-Free Science 000
Janet A. Kourany
5. Scientific Values and the Values of Science 000
Jay F. Rosenberg
Part II. The Demands of Society on Science: Socially Robust Knowledge and Expertise
6. How Robust Is "Socially Robust Knowledge"? 000
Peter Weingart
7. In Defense of Some Sweeping Claims about Socially Robust Knowledge 000
Roger Strand
8. Third Wave Science Studies: Toward a History and Philosophy of Expertise 000
Christopher Hamlin
Part III. The Exigencies of Research Funding: Epistemic Values and Economic Benefit
9. The Community of Science® 000
James Robert Brown
10. Science in the Grip of the Economy: On the Epistemic Impact of the Commercialization of Research 000
Martin Carrier
11. Promoting Disinterestedness or Making Use of Bias? Interests and Moral Obligation in Commercialized Research 000
Matthias Adam
Index 000

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from using this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
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Please have the disability coordinator at your school fill out this form.

In The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice, philosophers, sociologists, and historians of science offer a multidisciplinary view of the complex interrelationships of values in science and society in both contemporary and historic contexts. They analyze the impact of commercialization and politicization on epistemic aspirations, and, conversely, the ethical dilemmas raised by “practically relevant” science in today's society. For example, much scientific research over the past quarter century has been guided by the financing that supports it. What effect has this had on the quality of research produced and the advancement of real knowledge?

The contributors reveal how social values affect objectivity, theory, and the direction of inquiry, and examine the byproducts of external value systems in topics such as “expertise” and “socially robust knowledge,” among others. They view science's own internal value systems, the earlier disconnection of societal values from the scientific process, and the plausibility of “value free” science.

The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice presents an in-depth analysis that places the role of values at the center of philosophical debate and raises questions of morality, credibility, and the future role of values in scientific inquiry.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Martin Carrier is professor of philosophy at Bielefeld University in Germany. Don Howard is professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame.Janet Kourany is associate professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame.

REVIEWS

“This is an important collection of essays, by some of the best people in the field, on the most important and timely issue of the relations between science and values. These are issues that affect everyone.” --Peter Machamer, University of Pittsburgh

“The early logical empiricists, the founders of modern philosophy of science, thought it impossible to arrive at a rational discourse about norms and values, and aimed at a value-free philosophy of science. In the meantime it has become clear that norms and values pervade the whole scientific enterprise from the beginning to the end. This splendid book that carefully confronts diverging views on this topic is a worthwhile introduction to the role and impact of epistemic and social values in science.” --Gereon Wolters, University of Konstanz

“The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice takes the reader from the inside of philosophy to the outskirts of power. The discussion of epistemic and non-epistemic values prepares the ground. It leads to the question whether scientific knowledge needs to be more than merely correct-whether it ought to be socially robust as well. In the last part epistemic values are put under pressure by demands for economic benefit. Do these demands compromise or inspire the search for better knowledge? If only for the scope of this investigation, The Challenge of the Social and the Pressure of Practice is important reading for the philosophy of contemporary science.” --Alfred Nordmann, University of Darmstadt, Germany

TABLE OF CONTENTS

<Carrier, Howard, and Kourany, contents page>
<page v, no folio, page vi, cont. or blank>
Contents
Preface 000
Introduction: Science and the Social 000
Martin Carrier
Part I. The Play of Values within the Core Areas of Scientific Research
1. Must Evidence Underdetermine Theory? 000
John D. Norton
2. Values and Their Intersection: Reduction as Methodology and Ideology 000
Margaret Morrison
3. Values, Heuristics, and the Politics of Knowledge 000
Helen E. Longino
4. Replacing the Ideal of Value-Free Science 000
Janet A. Kourany
5. Scientific Values and the Values of Science 000
Jay F. Rosenberg
Part II. The Demands of Society on Science: Socially Robust Knowledge and Expertise
6. How Robust Is "Socially Robust Knowledge"? 000
Peter Weingart
7. In Defense of Some Sweeping Claims about Socially Robust Knowledge 000
Roger Strand
8. Third Wave Science Studies: Toward a History and Philosophy of Expertise 000
Christopher Hamlin
Part III. The Exigencies of Research Funding: Epistemic Values and Economic Benefit
9. The Community of Science® 000
James Robert Brown
10. Science in the Grip of the Economy: On the Epistemic Impact of the Commercialization of Research 000
Martin Carrier
11. Promoting Disinterestedness or Making Use of Bias? Interests and Moral Obligation in Commercialized Research 000
Matthias Adam
Index 000

REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE

If you are a student who has a disability that prevents you
from using this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.

Please have the disability coordinator at your school fill out this form.